Afterthoughts on the Passing of Beverly Sills

As many of you know, Beverly Sills passed away on July 2, 2007.

I’ve been so busy, I haven’t posted in awhile. None of us live forever. But there are some things that we all take for granted. For me, it’s not that Beverly Sills is gone, it’s more that maybe we have lost the dream that she always talked about. She was always an optimist. When I think of her, two things come to mind. She said, “Everything is obtainable. Dream BIG.” And of course, there was that voice that was distinctly hers.

One item of interest I came across was an audition form that was filled out by her when she was 10 year old.

One morning about a year ago, I was awakened by singing. I had my television programmed to come on at 5:30 in the morning to wake me up. Kent entered the bedroom to get me up. I was half asleep. He asked me if I knew what that was. I responded, “Beverly Sills. Hamlet. Act III.” I could just tell her voice.

I have a few favorite performances in my mind from her career. I remember watching her perform a lot, and I always walked away feeling uplifted by them. She was known for her coloratura work. In my opinion, it’s the most demanding style to sing. It requires extreme flexibility and vocal dexterity. And, most singers who excel in this usually have 10-15 peak years. After that, it’s gone. I could hear this happening in her voice as time went on. This recording of “Una Voce Poco Fa”, Rosina’s aria from Il barbiere di Siviglia, is one of my favorites. It was recorded in 1976, four years before she retired.

Later, she went on to perform Queen Elizabeth I in “Roberto Devereux” by Gaetano Donizetti. This even got the attention of Time Magazine.

Well, it got my attention too. My first thought, “What in the hell is she doing? This is a heavy and deeply dramatic role. She will kill her voice!” And I remember her saying that she never sung Puccini because it was “too heavy for my voice”, something I completely agreed with. She had a lyric voice that excelled in lighter roles with breathtaking results. I often thought that Lucia di Lammermoor was on the borderline in the heaviness category for her. Then, she comes out and does Roberto Devereux. She even reworked her vocal technique to do this feat. “Mind over matter,” as she put it. The result was quite amazing, and it shortened her career. But she wanted the more dramatic roles later in her career, and she knew it would come with a price. And, I remember thinking, “And this isn’t as heavy as Puccini?”

A few favorites... This is one of Kent’s favorites, from Linda di Chamounix. She makes it look so damn easy.

There are so many others. I guess I will say goodbye to Beverly as she did in her farewell concert in 1980, that she ended with “Tell Me Why”.

Time has come for me to leave you.
Tis the moment for goodbye.
Ah my sweet, we have to part now.
Please brush your tears from those dear eyes.

We have shared so much together.
Tis not the end but a new start.
Ah, my dear, I’ll always love you.
You’ll be forever in my heart.

Ah, my dear, I’ll always love you.
You’ll be forever in my heart.

Goodbye Beverly. I still dream big. I just wish that I had your cheer -- that cheer that you always seemed to have, even against all the obstacles that you had in your personal life. You were an inspiration to me.